Whenever we envision a world without war, without prisons, without injustice, we are engaging in speculative fiction. Radicals and activists devote their lives to envisioning such worlds, and then go about trying to create them; indeed, all organizing is science fiction. A world where everyone has a home, a great education, community based transformative justice, nourishing food to eat and clean water to drink, where we are in right relation to the planet, to each other, where are free to be and love ourselves as we are, to grow together? We have never seen it.

Walidah Imarisha, co-editor of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements, a new science fiction anthology authored by activists and visionaries, will deliver this year’s Culture Shock keynote event addressing the intersection between science fiction, storytelling, and organizing for a new world. A historian at heart, reporter by (w)right, rebel by reason, Walidah Imarisha is an educator, writer, organizer and spoken word artist. She is the editor of two anthologies, the Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movements (AK Press/IAS, Spring 2015) and Another World is Possible (Subway Press, 2002). She is the author of the poetry collection Scars/Stars (Drapetomedia, 2013) and the upcoming nonfiction book focused on criminal justice issues, Angels with Dirty Faces: Three Stories of Crime, Prison and Redemption (AK Press/IAS, 2016). With her will be interlocutor Nikki Shaffeeullah, a theatre facilitator, performer, director and researcher who has led community-engaged artistic projects across Canada and internationally. She is Artistic Director of the Toronto-based arts education company The AMY Project, and is Editor-in-Chief of alt.theatre.

ACCESSIBILITY INFO

Childcare
Childcare will be available for all events with 24 hours notice; please call 514 398 7432 or email qpirg at ssmu dot mcgill dot ca.

ASL Interpretation
ASL interpretation will be available on request 3 days before each event. Please email qpirg@ssmu.mcgill.ca to request ASL interpretation for any of our events.

Scent free spaces
This event is scent free. This means that all attendees should refrain from using any scented products prior to the event or bringing them to the event, including (but not limited to) perfume, cologne, shampoo, conditioner, soap, hairspray or gel, makeup, laundry detergent, fabric softener or lotion. Attendees should also be aware of any other scents they carry on them into the event, including the smell of smoke on clothes. This scent-free policy is put in place to minimize risk for people with environmental sensitivities. Scented products can be a cause of health issues, particularly for people with allergies and asthma. For more information on this policy: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/scent_free.html

Language
Whisper translation from English to French will be available.La traduction chuchotée de l’anglais vers le francais sera disponible.

Wheelchair Accessibility
All Culture Shock event are wheelchair accessible.
This event is made possible with the support of the Concordia Student Union
This workshop is part of the event series Culture Shock, co-presented by QPIRG and SSMU. For additional information, including accessibility, visit the main facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/events/1646996638892946/